Faisal al-Mekdad, the regime’s top diplomat, is visiting Moscow days after a meeting with Cavusoglu.

“I did not use the phrase reconciliation between the Syrian regime and the opposition, but I said that a settlement of the crisis must be reached.” This is how the Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, has tried to contain the controversy that erupted after news of his meeting with Syria’s top diplomat, Faisal al-Mekdad. News reports circulated that Cavusoglu called for “reconciliation” between Damascus and the opposition during that meeting.

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